Jeff Bagwell speaks his mind about steroids, his career, and the HOF

over 1 year ago Stephen Higdon 12 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I'll add another link

Jerry Crasnick wrote another article earlier this morning on Bagwell’s Hall of Fame candidacy.

by Timothy De Block on Dec 29, 2010 12:46 PM CST reply actions

That’s an interesting article by Crasnick. I particularly like the Ausmus quotes about Bagwell’s extraordinary ability to slide into bases safe. Crasnick’s deals with the steroid allegations, and has this humorous quote about the NY Daily News allegations that Bagwell cavorted with steroids sellers at the Pasadena gym:

“I hear stuff about me all the time in Houston, Texas,” Bagwell told ESPN.com. “If you’re 5-11 with a goatee, you’re Jeff Bagwell. I don’t even know this person. I couldn’t even tell you how to get to Pasadena, and this guy is saying he was with Roger and Andy and he knows me? Are you kidding me?”

Sorry, Pasadena Astros’ fans. :P

by clack on Dec 29, 2010 1:32 PM CST up reply actions

Crasnick makes a good point in there that many first basemen who are in the hall were able to prolong their careers by spending significant time at DH towards the end.

The only other two 1B that have scored 1500 runs and logged 1500 RBI without spending significant DH time are Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx!

by AstroAndy on Dec 29, 2010 2:12 PM CST up reply actions

What's great about the Crasnick and Gammons article

is it seems the baseball HOF voters are embracing, or at least trying to embrace the sabermetric stats, specifically WAR.

by goingforthecorner on Dec 29, 2010 2:13 PM CST reply actions

Another link

Joe Posnanski has his take on the eight he feels are Hall of Fame worthy and takes on the steroid issue surrounding Bagwell.

by Timothy De Block on Dec 30, 2010 7:12 AM CST reply actions

I particularly like this statement by Poz:

I would say this to those people who would not vote for Jeff Bagwell because they simply believe he used steroids, based on how he looked or some whispers they heard. I have a better idea: Let’s just burn him at the stake. If he survives, you will know you were right.

by clack on Dec 30, 2010 7:34 AM CST up reply actions

Ugh...Jeff Pearlman has penned a rebuttal of Posnanski.

I’m not even going to link it, because I don’t give his diatribe too much credence. (If you’re interested go to Baseball Think Factory’s newsstand and you can find the link.) But, among other things, he alleges that the “fact” is that the Rangers and Astros were the two most steroids infested teams in baseball. He says that even if Bagwell didn’t use steroids, he didn’t tattle on the “dozens upon dozens” of Astros who used steroids. Of course, Pearlman was never a beat writer, and he only worked for Sports Illustrated and the New York Daily News, which means that he never covered the Astros. And, of course, he doesn’t list the “dozens and dozens” of Astros’ steroids users.

by clack on Dec 30, 2010 10:57 AM CST up reply actions

The commentors crack me up

by Timothy De Block on Dec 30, 2010 11:52 AM CST up reply actions

I was particularly disappointed that Ken Rosenthal isn’t voting for Bagwell this year. Rosenthal usually is one of the more level-headed sports writers, which is why this surprised me. He tries to make it seem like a well thought out decision, but his reasoning is swiss cheese-like.

by clack on Dec 30, 2010 7:26 AM CST reply actions

I didn’t particularly like the flip flopping:

Several years ago, I determined that I would not vote for any player from this era on the first ballot. It was to be my way of distinguishing, say, Bonds from Hank Aaron, players of an uncertain present from the greats of the past.

I tried that for a while, knowing that the process would be derailed if other voters followed my lead — a player drops off the ballot if he receives less than 5 percent of the vote. Last year, though, I voted for four first-timers: Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martinez, Barry Larkin and Fred McGriff.

I had my reasons for each. But now I’m going back to my original premise.

If he wanted to make his own statement, by not voting for first timers that’s fine it’s his vote, but not being consistent with it is a lack of integrity.

by Timothy De Block on Dec 30, 2010 7:36 AM CST up reply actions

Yes, that’s one of the “swiss cheese-like” arguments. It is entirely inconsistent to make exceptions for McGriff, Martinez, and Alomar, who were clearly contemporaries of Bagwell.

by clack on Dec 30, 2010 7:59 AM CST up reply actions

David Cameron writes a wonderful piece about the difference between fact and opinion.

by Timothy De Block on Dec 30, 2010 11:46 AM CST reply actions

Comments For This Post Are Closed

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

The Importance of George Springer

by ntn 12 days ago

27 comments | 2 recs

Recent FanPosts

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Current Series

3 game series vs Dodgers @ Dodger Stadium

Fri 05/25	WP: Lucas Harrell (4 - 3) SV: Brett Myers LP: Clayton Kershaw (4 - 2)	3 - 1 win
Sat 05/26	WP: Kenley Jansen (4 - 0) LP: Wesley Wright (0 - 1)	3 - 6 loss
Houston Astros The Crawfish Boxes @ Los Angeles Dodgers True Blue LA Sunday, May 27, 2012, 3:10 PM CDT Dodger Stadium J.A. Happ vs Chris Capuano Partly cloudy. Winds blowing out to right field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 75. Complete Coverage >

NL Central Standings

	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Cincinnati Red Reporter	26	20	.565	0	Won 1
St. Louis Viva El Birdos	25	22	.531	1.5	Lost 3
Houston The Crawfish Boxes	22	24	.478	4	Lost 1
Pittsburgh Bucs Dugout	22	24	.478	4	Won 2
Milwaukee Brew Crew Ball	19	27	.413	7	Lost 1
Chicago Bleed Cubbie Blue	15	31	.326	11	Lost 11